Too Hot You Shine
by light.in.life.is.you
Summary: Its summer in New York, and it is hot outside. Max bumps into an old flame, and old feelings stir up again. But what exactly does he mean by coming back into her life in such a strange way? Max/Johnny
1. Chapter 1

It was midday in late June when it all started. New York is damn hot in the summer and I was in the city dropping off some cupcakes. Martha Stewart had tried one at a fancy party a few months before and she had given us a bit of a boost, telling her important foodie friends about us.

So anyways I was walking back to the subway after dropping the cupcakes at this woman's apartment who was hosting some sort of weird gallery exhibition thing with all these naked models, anything counts as 'art' these days I guess, and her apartment was on the twentieth floor. Twenty floors. And no elevator.

I was literally drowning in sweat at this point so I ducked into this dingy burger joint on 3rd.

The chef winked at me when I came in. I stood underneath the fan at the door, letting the cool air soothe my skin. I was just about to turn around and go again when I heard a voice behind me.

"It's a little warm outside isn't it?" I could hear the smirk. I turned around slowly, suddenly aware that I was wearing sweat shorts and a teeny tank top. My skin was still slick.

"Hey Johnny, what's up?" I tried to sound unfazed as I took him in. He looked the same, still tall and tan. He still had his dorky glasses, but his hair was longer and tied back in a little ponytail. He was wearing a blue vest and shorts.

"Nothin' much, how's things with you?" Things were okay with me, but I missed him. I played down how much I did to Caroline but looking at him now my stomach was twisting.

"I'm fantastic, as always. How's Manhattan, big shot? I like your ponytail, you look like a real gay artist," He laughed and shrugged, his hands in his pockets.

"It's okay, but I miss Williamsburg. And your cupcakes." I wasn't sure what that was, an innuendo or not, but I took it as a sign to leave. Caroline would be waking up soon and we agreed that if I bumped into Johnny I would run the other way, after the last home-wrecking incident.

"Right. Listen I gotta go, I have a horse to feed," I laughed. He took a step closer to me, and I fanned myself with my hand, it was seriously hot in here.

"Don't go, we could get coffee? I need to get the low down on the hood from my homies, son." Same old Johnny. It was like my body was begging my to stay there with him. I glanced at his hands, suddenly remembering something. No ring.

"Nah really, I've got to go, there are like fifteen fans on in the apartment, I think I might blow a fuse."

Johnny nodded, and I turned around, walking quickly out of the shop. "Maybe another time," he called after me.

I walked back to the station as fast as 106 degrees would allow. Why was Johnny so eager to see me? Was he like the serial cheater? Last time we talked he was engaged!

An old man praised me for my use of oil on my boobs as I stepped off the subway. Who needs fancy Manhattan?

* * *

"Wake up, lazy-ass," I shouted at Caroline as I swung the door shut behind me. I threw my keys onto her and she groaned.

She got up, and her blonde hair was fuzzed up around her face, her skin was glistening. I went to the fridge and got a water, gulping it down.

"Max, what the hell? It's like a thousand degrees in here!" she stumbled out of bed and went to the window, opening it. She turned on the fans and moved them to the center of the room.

"I'm sorry princess, did you used to have servants who fanned you with giant leaves?" I laughed and started to make a batch of icing.

She scowled, which made her look ridiculous, given that her hair was three times the size of her head.

"No, but I had air-conditioning!" She moved to make her bed.

"I know honey, and hairbrushes, but you are poor now, and when it's hot we go to a liquor superstore and hide in the beer fridges."

Caroline's hand moved to her hair and she sighed, walking to the bathroom.

I laughed. "Work in half and hour!" I chirped.

* * *

Work was uneventful, just hipsters in string vests and cutoffs, with fanny packs full of hand held fans and baby wipes.

Oleg was cooking in no shirt and some weird spandex shorts I think. I can't really remember because I try not to look at him if I can.

When we got back to the apartment that night it was cool, and I just fell into bed in my uniform and conked out, I was so worn out from sweating off half my body weight.

When I woke up I regretted this, because my uniform was stuck to me. Gross. I stumbled out to the kitchen, and to my immense surprise Caroline was already up, and back to her chipper self.

"Don't worry, I walked Chestnut, and I got us some iced lattes, there's yours," she pointed to the counter and I picked it up and slurped.

"I'm sorry I was such a bitch yesterday, normally I would be in a pool in The Hamptons in this weather, just takes some adjusting, but I'm great now." She paused to look at me.

"Did you sleep in that? Ew. Okay give it go me I'm going to do laundry." I smiled sweetly at her and went to my room to get changed. I put on some little shorts and a tank top. I came back out to the kitchen and handed her the uniform.

After she left, I started making a batch of cupcakes, but I'd run out of my secret ingredient. Crap. I nipped out to the shop on the corner and on my way back, something caught my eye.

There, on the top of a tall brown brick building was a massive billboard with a black and white print on it. It was a picture of a woman in a tank top fanning herself with her hand. A message about the heat wave, I guess.

I stared at it, it looked oddly familiar, and then I saw it. At the bottom of the billboard there was a signature. 'Jpeg'. I looked back at the woman, she had long wavy hair. She had the same tank top as me.

I slammed the door to the apartment and walked over to the window. The billboard was directly visible from there. It _was _me.

'Oh shit," I mumbled to myself, and my brain started to that crazy thing where it jumps to all these weird situations and conclusions. I was so engrossed that I almost didn't hear the soft knock on the door.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hi, thanks so much for the reviews, I'm sorry about the late update, things have been crazy lately. Let me know what you think?_

_xm_

* * *

I walked over to the door, the little knock startling me a little. I swung it open hoping it wasn't who I hoped it would be. But of course, with my luck, it was.

"Hey," came his greeting, leaning against the door frame.

"Stop pretending you're hot," I said dismissively, pretending to be cool. I definitely was _not _cool with this situation.

"I _am_ hot, it's a thousand degrees out there."

"Whatever."

A moment of heavy silence. I decided to dive in.

"So. I saw your new art outside. Very relevant, yes?"

He took a little step forward. I took a smaller one back. He shoved his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "I guess."

"Who is it?" I asked before I could stop myself. "In the picture." I smiled at him innocently.

He chuckled and shrugged. I turned to the cupcakes. I beat the batter with a wooden spoon because my hands seemed on the verge of a severe shaking episode.

"Well I think you made her tank top a little low-cut. I think that girl's top was a little higher." I turned around to face him.

"How would you know?" He smiled wryly. I spun on my heel again and focused on the cupcake mixture, trying to mentally will my mouth to stop talking.  
Couldn't do it.

"Just an inkling, I guess."

"An inkling? I don't know, this girl wouldn't want anyone speaking on her behalf," he said.

"Oh really? What's she like?" I was smiling into the cupcakes like an idiot.

He didn't say anything for a minute.

"She's a total hot mess," he murmured. I nearly jumped out of my skin. He had come closer, I could feel his lips near my ear. It was already like a billion degrees in the apartment. I felt about to pass out.

"Mmhm?" I croaked out. I could feel the heat from his body behind me, almost touching me.

"Mmm," he breathed into my neck. I swear my pants were trying to unzip themselves at that point. But alas no, I pulled myself together. I slid sideways, and started to pour the cupcake batter into cases.

"She sounds cool,"

"Yeah she is-" He inched closer to me again.

I spun around.

"Hey Johnny, I need to get these into the oven, and then my horse has to use the bathroom so you know-"

A slow smile spread across his face and he nodded.

"I get it Max,"

I smiled briskly at him and moved to turn back around.

"I'm too late."

I froze. Dragging my eyes up to his face as I faced him. He was staring at me, frowning slightly. Smiling sadly.

"I know this sounds really dicky, but I really liked being your friend, do you think we could still hang out?"

All I could do was nod. He moistened his lips with tongue. Did he do that on purpose? I cleared my throat softly.

"Yeah, that sounds- okay, yeah,"

He beamed. "Awesome. How about you come to my new place in fancy Manhattan tonight? I have a wine fridge?"

I laughed harshly. "If I had a dollar for every time-"

"_Just_ as friends Max, I promise I won't take advantage of you," he chuckled. "Friends?" he sighed, holding out his hand.

I took it and shook it, I smiled at him. He smiled back. I smiled again. And then my face was close to his and then my lips were on his, and my hands were grabbing at his chest, and his hands were on my face and running up and down my arms.

"Friends," I breathed against his lips, biting his bottom one gently. And then his hands were under my shirt and dipping into the tops of my pants and my hips were rolling against his without my command.

His fingertips massaged my sides and I wrapped a leg around his waist. His lips found my jaw, and my neck, and then while he was sucking my collarbone he grabbed my other leg, and wrapped it around him, and carried me towards my room.

I felt my back smash against a wardrobe or something and twisted my hips into him, gasping when he nipped the top of my chest. I dug my nails into his back and he moaned into my skin. I pulled his face back up to mine and kissed him again fiercely. I grabbed the ends of his shirt, and teased it up his body, breaking our kiss to try and pull it off. He was trying to get off without letting go of me. His elbow was stuck in it.

I leaned back, laughing. "You have _totally_ wrecked my buzz Manhattan."

He looked at me helplessly, wrestling with the shirt with one hand still on my ass, holding me up.

"C'mere," I pulled him towards me. "You look like a little puppy-dog." I pulled the shirt off his head, "It's gross."

He shook it off his other arm and smiled at me softly, then he lifted me up and turned around, laying my softly down onto my bed. I winced as I heard the leftover chips from last night crackling beneath me. He burst out laughing and put a hand under me and lifted them out. He tossed them across the room.

"Now," he sighed happily, putting a hand at either side of my face. He traced the outline of my lips with his thumb gently.

"Hey why did you throw away those chips? They're for when I get bored," I giggled. He looked away, trying not to laugh.

"I'm hurt Max, really I am," he chuckled.

"Mmm-" I pulled his face down to mine and kissed his lips.

His hands slipped underneath my top again and he palmed my stomach, inching up-

"Ma-ax!"

A very loud, very chirpy voice rang through the apartment. I pulled away from Johnny.

"Code red!" I whisper-shouted at him.

He shook his head quickly. "Wha- I"

"Shhhh!" I hissed at him.

I pushed him off me and jumped across the room and threw his shirt to him. He opened the window. "I still don-"

"Max? Is there someone in-?" I could hear her heels clipping towards my room.

"Ugh what the _dick_ is she doing home?" I whispered.

"Caroline I'm just pleasuring myself, relax," I called, and I could almost hear her shiver with disgust. I looked over at Johnny, he was laughing silently. I sighed and giggled too when I saw him. I walked over to where he was crouched down on the fire escape.

"So I'll see you tonight?" he smirked.

"See you tonight, friend."


End file.
